💫DIRECTION OVER CORRECTION 💫
Fizz can struggle with reactivity at times, so I took this opportunity to work on neutrality while a dog from behind a fence barked at us.
Before we even encountered this dog, I was already working on engagement, eye contact, “yes work” and neutrality. On our first pass by the dog, I put myself in between Fizz and the trigger, and he did incredible. During our second pass by, I had Fizz closer to the dog behind the gate, and although this did prove a little more challenging, he still kept moving, never lunged or lost control, and offered eye contact once we were beyond the house.
Make sure you are training FOR THE MOMENT…Not IN THE MOMENT. The prep work I did leading up to this encounter is what helped make this a success.
💫 TRAINING LOOPS 💫
A training loop is a compilation of different commands integrated into one another to make a simple, but effective way to teach obedience, or other forms of dog training.
The loop I created for Maggie in this video consisted of three different commands : “break” which is her release word, “come” which is the command I use to call a dog to me, and “place” which is a physical target that is a different height, or texture from the ground you were currently on.
By keeping the loop simple and brief, Maggie is able to pick up on the queues and commands very quickly and starts to predict the command I am going to ask of her.
This is a great way to incorporate multiple commands into one training session if you are short on time, but this is also great for building clear and concise habits through training.
BONUS: once your dog begins to predict the next command, this is a great time to switch up the order of your training loop. This prevent our dogs from slipping into cruise control, and ultimately keeps them dialed in and listening to what we are going to ask of them next.
Instead of bringing dogs into our chaos- what if we let them show us how to slow down?
When our dog trusts and respects us, they will begin to get on the same page with us.
Once on that page, we can begin to guide them to better things.
Never underestimate the power a good wall or fence can have on your training. Dog training is equal parts science and creativity.
Often times, Less Is More.
Breathe Deep.
Just a reminder.
Free Shaping is a fun way to build connection with a dog without saying a single word. You do not want to encourage or interact with your dog to get them to start a behavior, instead, they need to choose to do it on their own. The longer your training session goes, the quicker your dog will give you the behavior you are hoping for.
Other examples instead of using sit would be:
-waiting for your dog to give you a down.
-bring a place cot and see how long it takes for them to places themselves.
The possibilities are endless. Happy Training!
💥CLICKER TRAINING💥
I use the clicker a little differently. The clicker is usually used in lieu of a “marker word.” The most common being “YES.” I trained my personal dogs to come to me when they hear the clicker. It’s a slight difference from how it’s primarily used, but enough of one for me to mention.
I also don’t use clicker training with clients because I don’t want to overwhelm them with too much information. I try not to rely on any one tool when it comes to training, but I really enjoy seeing if/when the click can break through to my dogs with varying levels of distraction.
All you need to do is “charge up” the clicker with your dog. Click/Reward, Click/Reward, Click/Reward. Lots of reps until your dog understands Click=Reward. Once they do, you can use it in a variety of ways.
💥 ENGAGAMENT, RELEVANCY. REPITITION 💥
Here is a clip from a virtual session with a client. Place can be used as a way to connect with your dog, but also as a way for your dog to disconnect from their own minds.
Practice and holding your dog accountable is huge for building a successful place command.
Questions? Send us a message. We would love to help you and your pup!
There are no shortcuts when it comes to behavior modification. Sadly, we live in a time where quick results are valued more so than putting in the work over a long period of time. Our dogs don’t enjoy being reactive, yet we continue to go back to the same places where this emotion/behavior flourish.
Try going to an empty park, or parking lot and calmly walk your dog in a circle for 45-60 minutes. How does that calmness feel as it washes over you? How is your dog responding to the slow, repetitive nature of you walking together?
We want a calm, almost meditative mindset when it comes to working with our reactive dogs, and the best way to capture that feeling is the two of you working in a docile environment.
If you don’t know what it feels like to have an extremely calm dog by your side in a calm environment, how will you know what feeling to tap into when a trigger comes into your world?
It’s hard to slow down in today’s world, but it can be extremely beneficial when dealing with our dog’s behaviors.
By using the word “YES” as our positive marker followed by a reward, we are conditioning our dog to look to us whenever that word is used.
This teaches our dog that “yes” equals a good behavior, but also can be used in moments that lead to nervousness or reactivity.
Using “yes” work around particular triggers is a great way to train a dog to disengage and check back in with their handler.
Have you tried this with your pup? If so, how is it going?
Chaos does not breed calmness. It’s ok to slow things down and let yourself regroup. Your dogs will thank you for it!
Our dogs do not understand full sentences. The more we talk to our dogs the less likely they are going to understand what we are saying, and sometimes we run the risk of incorrectly reinforcing certain behaviors. As a trainer, I often find myself working with dogs that are unsure of themselves, and this can lead to nuisance behaviors. Instead of me constantly clamoring in their ear, I use body language and leash pressure/guidance as my main form of communication. #communicate #communicatebetter #bettercommunication #dogpsychology #roamingroversohio #cincinnatidogtrainer #lovelandohio #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #balanceddogs #dogsofcincy #cincydogs #animalphotographer #animalphoto #dogphotography #newfie #newfiepuppy #newfiesofinstagram #animalbehavior
Thank you to all the animal shelters and rescues putting in the hard work each day! The work that you do does not go unnoticed, and we greatly appreciate you! #shelterdogsrock #shelterdog #cincinnatiohio #cincy
💥5 Benefits Of A Structured Walk 💥Yes, there are more than five benefits to a structured walk, but these are some of our favorites…1. Reinforces Training - incorporating a structured walk on every day outings is going to help create a balanced lifestyle for your dog on a leash. When we “heel,” that means we are in work mode. When we say “break,” that means go sniff, go potty, go be a dog. The better the dog walks in a hill without protest, the more “break” time they end up having. 2. Builds Confidence - when a dog has strong leadership, it begins to learn that it should have little to worry about with you handling the leash. And when your dog has little to worry about, this begins to boost your confidence as the leader of the pack.3. Strengthens Relationship - the leash is a form of communication, and when you are leading your dog confidently, this helps build trust in the relationship. And when you have a dog that trusts you, they are more likely to follow you anywhere you need them to go.4. Forms Leadership Role - its simple: the more walks you go on with your dog, the more confident you will become as a leader. The more confident you become as a leader, the more your dog will trust you. The more your dog trusts you, the less behavioral issues you will have while out on walks.5. Impulse Control - when your dog understands the expectations on a loose leash walk, better choices and a stronger sense of impulse control will should become the new norm. #dogtraining #dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #dogtrainingadvice #balanceddogtraining #balanceddogtrainer #impulsecontrol #cincinnatiohio #lovelandohio #structuredwalk #basicobedience #obediencetraining
❓ Wondering how much we can cover in a one hour lesson ❓ 👀 Take a look at this! 👀Each training program is customized to fit you and your dog’s needs, but you get out of it what you put into it! What I mean by that is: if you have multiple training sessions with your dog in between our one on one sessions, you are going to get the most out of the Roaming Rovers training program.Gabrielle is a dedicated owner that is willing to do anything to get her dog back into a structured way of life, and you can already see that just in week two. Monte has been doing an incredible job, and the benefits of training are quite noticeable.If you, or someone you know is interested in learning more about becoming empowered through dog training, send us an email to [email protected] or call 513-429-7699. #cincinnatidogwalkers #cincinnatidogs #cincydogs #dogsofcincy #dogwalker #cincinnatidogtrainers #dogwalkersofinstagram #doggosofinstagram #doggosforlife #dogtraining101 #dogtrainingisfun #dogtrainingadvice #k9trainer #dogtrainingtips #dogtrainer #caninetrainer #offleashtraining #cincygram #dogsofcincinnati #obediencetraining #puppytraining #downcommand #placecommand #recalltraining #comewhencalled #enrichment #enrichmenttools #dogtrainingconmunity
For our second lesson, we picked up right where we left off by continuing to reinforce loose leash manners. After a nice warm up, we introduce two new commands to Brett and he and his humans did great! Brett picked up the come command, and the down command very quickly. Each command is an essential piece to the bigger puzzle of dog obedience, and is going to help with his success and safety for years to come. Everyone did a great job during Lesson No.2 and we can’t wait to get back out there. #cincinnatidogwalkers #cincinnatidogs #cincydogs #dogsofcincy #dogwalker #cincinnatidogtrainers #dogwalkersofinstagram #doggosofinstagram #doggosforlife #dogtraining101 #dogtrainingisfun #dogtrainingadvice #k9trainer #dogtrainingtips #dogtrainer #caninetrainer #offleashtraining #cincygram #dogsofcincinnati #obediencetraining #puppytraining #downcommand #placecommand #recalltraining #comewhencalled #enrichment #enrichmenttools #dogtrainingconmunity
